Reveries Below the Cherry Blossoms
by Azuri-Chann
Summary: A collection of drabbles dedicated to various pairings. Tsubaki/Jin, Ragna/Nu, Ragna/Rachel, Hazama/Noel, Hazama/Tsubaki, Ragna/Noel, Jin/Noel and more. c:
1. Time

A/N: Just an idea that forced itself to be written and uploaded. Which is ridiculous, since I've got other fanfictions that need my attention! But I honestly couldn't help myself with this one~ ^v^ First off, all drabbles will be fairly short. Second, the setting and-or situation of the scenarios may not be defined and can be whatever your imagination deems it to be. Third, I hope you find them enjoyable despite the short length! :3

* * *

**Drabble #1**  
**Theme: Time**  
**Pairing: Tsubaki X Jin**

~x x x~

The pendulum of the ornate clock swung heavily, melodically, as time crept away unhurriedly at an unbearably slow pace.

Tsubaki fiddled with the frilly hem of her best chemise, waiting patiently, anticipation mounting within. She was anxious albeit excited. Hesitant yet confident.

She lifted her flickering gaze to the antique of a clock, eyes following the pendulum almost hypnotically.

Unable to wait any longer, anticipation overwhelmed the best of her demeanor and the redhead dipped her head, her shoulders sinking as she freed a despondent sigh.

"I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long..."

Her heart throbbed elatedly upon hearing his voice. Whirling around in surprise, Tsubaki responded with a personable smile, a convention of reticence she assumed when she trusted her words ineffectual before this particular blonde young man.

Unaware of her nervousness, he extended an arm invitingly, gracing her with a soft smile in return. "Well then, shall we?"

Tsubaki's cheeks blossomed pink, an unfamiliar sensation fluttering through her when he took her hand in his, in a gentle but firm grasp.

Time had its value. Although prolonged and urging of impatience.

Every second spent with Jin was undoubtedly what Tsubaki valued most and would forever cherish...

~x x x~


	2. Hearth

**Drabble #2  
Theme: Hearth  
Pairing: Nu X Ragna**

~x x x~

Nu was always fantasizing, shaping out her much desired, much anticipated future with her one true love. It was the only pastime in which she could find solace, in her desperate wait for Ragna to approach and take her from the vacant, unfulfilling void known as reality.

One of her most favourite dreams was the modest dwelling veiled in solitude, surrounded by darkened forests. There only she and Ragna could be.

In the quaint, disheveled cottage, the rest of the world was dead to them, nonexistent. It was perfect, except for the temperature...

"Nu's fingers are freezing..."

Warm, callous fingers wrapped around her cool, small hands. Nu smiled in content, resting her head back on Ragna's chest as he knelt over her where she sat crouched next to the steadily dying fire. The grassy scent of his red jacket elated her to the point that she inhaled, pretending to sigh, just so she could smell it again. It made her feel... safe, happy... but then suddenly, Ragna left.

Bewildered, she asked why he was leaving, and then she noticed a log tossed into the fireplace. Recreating the fire, her smirked, amused at her clingy tendencies.

"Come here, you," he said in his gruff, flippant tone. Nu scrambled toward him eagerly, and even though was draped in a thin, warm blanket; Ragna wrapped his strong arms around her meek, cold shoulders for extra warmth.

Together, kept their hands before the warm background of the flames.

They were warm, happy and safe.

But unfulfilling reality jerked her back to the present, almost cruelly.  
If only her life could have followed the path of her fantasies...  
The only warmth she would now experience, was alone, by herself, as she plundered downward into to the abyssal hearth of reality.

Ragna, far from sight, was out of her grasp, yet Nu stretched her hand up hopefully, tears trickling, heart pounding and fingers desperately held out against the background of the blazing flames.

The hearth of reality was heart breaking, hope shattering, miserable pain, and it hungrily engulfed her.

~x x x~


	3. Wilting Lilies

**Drabble #3  
Theme: Wilting Lilies  
Pairing: Rachel X Ragna**

~x x x~

It was roses she adored, not lilies.

There was an evident difference between the two. Any fool with half a wit was able to figure that out considering the vast array of roses beautifully occupying the grounds of her mansion.

Then again, at times like these she always doubted Ragna had any trace of wit at all.

"Here, for saving my butt from the Red Devil back there."

Rachel looked upon the amateur-plucked lilies with an eyebrow rose, unsure, unimpressed and...unaware that she was blushing. She tactfully observed the brusque white-haired man before her, his manner seemingly inscrutable, but with a hint of reluctance.

"What don't you want them?"

Perhaps...

Tilting her head slightly, she traced her fingers around the smooth form of the petals, slightly wilting in a faded brown at the tips.

Perhaps...she could permit herself to reconsider.

"I will accept, but next time I'd prefer to be presented with a kiss." She rested a finger on her cheek, indicating her preference.

The impartial tone she had used to declare the above gauged the most pleasant of reactions. The way his face shaded, an irrevocable scarlet brighter than any rose, piqued an amused smile to surface her otherwise neutral features.

"Don't kid yourself, rabbit!"

She would have frowned if a giggle had not fled from her lips the moment he shoved the flowers in her hand and briskly made his departure, head bowed to conceal his bright expression.

Smiling, Rachel gazed upon the white lilies - ready to wilt at any moment.

Perhaps lilies could substitute roses, if it brought her this quality of amusement...and emotion.

~x x x~


	4. Culinary Arts

**Drabble #4  
Pairing: Hazama X Noel  
****Theme: Culinary Arts**

~x x x~

_They warned him._

"I...I hope you enjoy!"

_But he would not listen..._

"Hmm, lieutenant, it smells delicious..." Hazama peered over the steaming plate placed before him. In the middle was a dab of white mush with indescribable solid particles of orange and green sticking out in sharp angles.

_He was curious, intrigued..._

The blonde lieutenant was unsure and fidgeted where she stood. "Well, I hope it's taste okay... everyone else says..."

_He was stubborn._

"Who cares what everyone else says," he brushed off her unease, adjusting the silver fork between his fingers. "I'll be the judge of that myself, okay?"

The green-haired man took a mouthful. His tongue prickled and he detected a hint of garlic in the midst of the tangy bitter-sweet-sour combination. His eyes widened. At this subtle reaction, the blonde gulped heavily, taking a timid step back.

_They warned him._

Her heart raced when Hazama swallowed hard, with evident tension. His features were stunned, dazed and stricken.

_But he would not listen..._

"I-I-I'm sorry!" Noel quickly bowed, her eyes swimming in a sudden welling of tears as she feared she had just poisoned her superior. Or worse!

...Then the unexpected happened. The captain broke into a grin and wolfed the rest down in no less that a second, leaving the plate clean, without a remnant of the meal ever being there.

Noel could scarcely believe it. "You...liked it?"

_He was stubborn._

"Whatdaya think? I loved it!" With that uncharacteristic revelation, he hurriedly demanded Noel to conjure up some more, shooing her away. She he earnestly took the chance, the initial shock simmering down.

Satisfied, the green-haired man rested back in his seat, watching intently —enthralled— as the blonde scurried back and forth through the opening of the kitchen with pots, pans and spoons cluttering chaotically in her determined rush.

_But he did not regret it._

It was something else, not just his hard stomach that allowed him to eat her cooking. It was something else. No matter how it would jeopardize his plans, this "something" he could tolerate for the time being.

"Say, d'you mind adding more wasabi?"

~x x x~


	5. Verse

**Drabble #5  
Theme: Verse  
Pairing: Tsubaki X Hazama**

~ x x x ~

A soft voice filled the tranquil silence in the open-courtyard where only few trees and a still water feature stood. She reached a low note and soon her voice stilled gently on the closing words. Tilting her head in thought, red hair swayed over one shoulder as she crossed a fine line of ink over the words, writing an alternative verse.

"My, I never expected a singer to be in the midst of the Librarium..."

Instantly, she shot up from the curved bench and bowed her head in embarrassment.

A shadow fell before her when a green-haired man stepped out from behind the stone pillar. She saw his calm gaze drop down to the leather-bound journal now lying on the floor.

"Do you want me to get that for you?" Was his offer.

She didn't even consider it. "No."

"No?"

"Yes." She inclined her head softly, expressing her resoluteness without making eye contact.

"Alright." He bent down to get it and she stopped him right there, blinking in bewilderment when her mind belatedly recognized the twist of words that occurred.

"N-no!" She objected but he had already gotten the book in hand and straightened up. "I didn't mean that..." she said softly, trailing off.

"Oh, really?" He raised his eyebrows slightly. "Perhaps next time you should be a little more clear, eh, Tsubaki?"

She accepted the book handed to her with a straight face. "Y...Yes, sir."

She was not sure why but the green-haired captain, attired in his black suit with his trademark serene albeit calculating gaze always managed to fluster her. ...Not to mention the inquiring look he was now directing towards her since she had unintentionally been staring.

"Thank you." She held the journal to her chest, protectively, as she maneuvered pass him.

"Oh, Tsubaki!" She paused in step, the tenor of his voice idle yet slightly mocking. "I think you forgot a little something something..."

She swiveled around only to see a page in his hands; his eyes shamelessly scanning the text, with an amused glint flickering in them briefly. "Quite...meaningful lyrics you have written here. Very nice."

She scurried over and snatched it from his hands. His mouth twisted into a grin that she missed when she turned around with a deepening blush.

Doing her utmost to keep her poise, she mustered all her confidence, coercing herself not to make an even further fool of herself in front of her superior as she made her way out of the airy courtyard.

Nearing the corridor, she relented and glanced over her shoulder. He was still standing there, next to the water feature, watching her leave. Uncharacteristically enough, he winked. She whirled around immediately and carried on her way.

"Damn him..." she murmured under her breath, which was a rarity for her. But even so, her expression betrayed her completely; the scarlet blush vibrantly contrasted with the deep blue of her journal in which she recorded the songs she wrote.

"I heard that." His voice drifted from where he was, a hint of amusement in his tone. She paused in step, shoulders tensing, and expression brightening as she clutched onto her journal even tighter.

~ x x x ~


	6. Vintage

**Drabble #6  
Theme: Vintage  
Pairing: Ragna X Noel**

~ x x x~

Fine strands of blonde hair caught in the wind. She held her head high, breathing in a rarefied air as her mind absorbed the lively vibe of the environment. With a bright smile on her face, she turned to the young man accompanying her who lagged on a few feet behind her in a struggle.

"Isn't this fun, Ragna?"

"If fun means being a human shopping-cart, then yeah," he grunted from behind the load of parcels and bags towering in his hands and almost reaching way above his head.

Noel only rolled her eyes, far too immersed in her search to comment.

"But seriously, you don't need this much stuff," said the white-haired as he shifted his hands below the weight to roll his shoulder as tentative as he could without letting anything fall. "I don't even think a person can live long enough to get a chance to wear _all_ of these."

Noel only shook her head at his nonchalant scoff before something else managed to seize her attention and she darted off to yet another store, carrying all her enthusiasm with her. Ragna groaned inwardly and trudged onward with reluctance in each step as he tried to catch up with her.

The overhead bell jingled and the door thud to a dull close behind him as he sniffed the scent of sandalwood and lime in the unventilated room. "Oh great, another clothing store..." he murmured when his eyes caught on the porcelain figurines and the few mannequins standing between the rails brimming with scented clothing.

This was a bit different than the last stores they were in, this one seemed...archaic in a way, and the waxed floorboards floral designs on the drab wallpaper contributed to this notion.

"Um, you can wait here while I try this outfit on, okay?"

He craned his head to the side of the heap but spotted tendrils of blonde hair disappear behind the curtains that veiled the dressing cubicle, leaving him no chance to respond.

Ragna noticed the mannequin with a pristine rounded dress and a pale lavender coloured parasol. His eyes trailed over the peach, brown and cream clothing, the tan coats, the pearl necklaces and the lace shawls.

"What is this, a store for grannies?" His eyes caught on a ruffled skirt on display with many underlying layers and frills giving it volume. "I guess this is where Tsubaki does her shopping..."

Just then Noel pushed the yellow curtains aside and stepped out, revealing the outfit of her interest. Ragna's startled gaze travelled from her brown ankle boots all the way up to the beige beret sitting askance on her head. In between, she donned a cream blouse with three large yellow buttons sewn on. Faded peach ruffles flared from her wrists and not a single crease was visible on the pressed material of the cardboard-brown skirt.

"So...what do you think?" asked Noel, a glint of earnestness glimmering in her eyes as she awaited an answer. "Do the colours suit me?"

To put it simple, nothing she wore matched. However, her eager anticipation surpassed his urge to tell her that it looked like the contents of an old woman's wardrobe threw itself up on her.

"Well," answered Ragna, tilting his head to the side. "It's...different."

Her smile was enough to soften his gaze, if even a little, and he found himself for the first time unable to avert his eyes from hers. The tiring ordeals of the day —including the stiffness of his shoulders after practically hours of carrying— almost seemed to fall away the moment her face lit up. Well...almost.

"So, can we leave now?"

If he had paid more attention, he would've noticed the flash of adoration in her green eyes before she broke out of the stare, looked down, shook her head and then vanished behind the curtains with an unheard giggle. "Oh Ragna..." she sighed, smiling softly in thought as she sifted through the next batch of clothes that she wanted to try on while Ragna stood where he was, the towering heap in his hands about to be joined by more clothing...

~ x x x~

* * *

A/N: This drabble seems longer compared to the first...must be the rambling habits kicking in. XD The theme was more subtle here and the scenario seemed AU-ish to me, but if you can see it happening in the BlazBlue universe then that's good too! Thanks for reading and taking the time to let me know your opinions so far. :)


	7. Muffins

A/N: This cute little pairing was requested by Mr. War. Personally I think Ragna x Tao is more lighthearted and cutesy than other pairs involving him, so this may seem treacly. Anywho...hope you guys like it~

* * *

**Drabble #7  
Theme: Muffins  
Pairing: Ragna x Taokaka**

~ x x x ~

The aroma of home-made pastries, freshly baked loaves, cinnamon and the sickeningly sweet scent of syrup wafted through the warm air of the room. Two people occupied this space where multiple ovens stood on opposite ends of a long counter in the center of the room. They busied themselves with the task of packaging biscuits and buns and assorted pastries for the day's deliveries.

"Phew, it's hot in here," the girl with the beige hoodie remarked, wiping her forehead in an exaggerated manner. "This is taking forever, meow!" She threw her arms up in bewilderment, sending a nearby basket of muffins tumbling.

Just in the nick of time, the young man attired in an unbearably bright red jacket looked up from beneath the counter and caught the basket. "Quit complaining," he responded lightly, rolling his eyes as he straightened up and placed the basket on the tabletop. "It's your fault we're in this mess anyway."

Seemingly offended, she crossed her arms with a huff, spinning around to scowl at the wall. "It's not Tao's fault the baker-guy has two left ears! He's the one who fell over and dropped all the bread in the street!" she said in her defense.

Ragna disguised his chuckle with a discreet cough and lifted a pile of decorated boxes that needed to be filled on the counter.

The personality of the happy-go-lucky girl was strangely infectious. She had this strange way of infecting others -especially him- with her lighthearted disposition. Normally he would not have hesitated to scoff sardonically, but at times like these he found her naïveté mildly amusing.

"It's two left feet, idiot," he corrected, moving the chocolate muffins from the cooled tray to another woven basket. He glanced up momentarily through the strands of his bangs, to make his stare less obvious, as he awaited her reaction.

He hadn't wanted to be involved in this in the first place but it was Jubei's command for him to look out for his training partner no matter the situation. On this day, they were permitted a rare break from intensive training and after much debate they were on their way to the Park since Orient Town was too crowded for Ragna's liking. Distracted, Tao ran ahead sniffing the air and only to be found begging the baker for a snack. With Tao, one thing led to another as per usual and now they spent their day repaying the livid baker with work.

"Feet, ears, same thing, meow," she shrugged it off easily with a flippant wave of her paw. Her brilliant crimson eyes met with the delectable chocolate-muffin in his hand. "Heyyy, can Tao have a bite?"

"No. You can't just eat the stuff without paying."

"No faiiirr," she whined. "Tao doesn't have any money."

"Like that's not surprising," Ragna remarked, remembering a past incident involving their flee from a restaurant when they both were unable to pay.

While Tao sulked in a corner, limply straightening the boxes, Ragna spoke up with an offer. He discovered her liked her better when she was in high spirits. "Hey, I'll buy you a muffin before we leave, okay? Let's just get done here."

Tao blinked and then looked over her shoulder enthusiastically, her mood instantly lifting. "Really?"

"Yeah, sure, if it'll make you happy," Ragna replied nonchalantly, going back to his work. When Tao made no response, he glimpsed over his shoulder to find her suddenly standing right behind him and staring.

"What...?" he asked slowly, stopping himself from jumping back in surprise. It was slightly unnerving to find the Kaka looking so intent when she was usually so blithe. Tao scrutinized him attentively, her head tilted. "What is it...? Something on my face?"

"Y'know..." she started, her mouth steadily widening into a grin and her eyes brightening with a mischievous gleam. "Underneath all that weird spiky hair and crabby attitude, you're actually very sweet, Good Guy!"

Ragna averted his eyes a bit too quickly with a muttered disagreement, though this was all in vain since Tao pressed on with a goofy grin, "Hey, maybe Tao should start calling you Actually Very Sweet Guy! Huh? Huh?" she suggested playfully. "Whaddaya say?"

Ragna slung his arm around the girl's neck in a firm headlock and brought his other across, briskly rubbing her head. Tao squirmed and wriggled animatedly, gasping for air. "Then again, myeow, Blushing Boy sounds good too! Or wait, _Muffin Man_!" she exclaimed jokingly, glancing up at him with effort under his firm grip.

Ragna raised both his eyebrows at the suggestion, trying to keep his expression neutral, though he couldn't fight back a grin. "Shut up, you," he said with a gruff laugh, grabbing a muffin from the basket and stuffing it in her laughing mouth.

~ x x x ~

* * *

A/N: Well...I tried. Not sure if it could be called_ romance_, though. Heh...heh heh... ^-^'


	8. Map

I practically jinxed myself when I said I'll have this up early. :P This was requested by Twin Judge of Gemini! I'm not too clued up about Bloodedge and Celica, but I do know she's got no sense of direction whatsoever. :P Sorry if they're _too _OOC. T-T

* * *

**Drabble#8  
Theme: Map  
Pairing: Celica x Bloodedge**

~ x x x ~

Sunlight filtered through overhead treetops, casting shadows on the cobbled walkway. Two figures emerged between the dispersed clumps of townspeople. One was a young man with bleached hair, donning a red jacket with one sleeve hanging completely off his shoulder in an almost offhand style. The other was a beautiful young woman attired in a simple uniform consisting of a skirt, a blouse and a red ribbon around her neck that accentuated her scarlet eyes.

"I told you, Bloodedge," she started gingerly, keeping her head bowed to obscure her flustered expression. "I wasn't lost...I was...well-"

"-Directionally confused?" he finished knowingly, glancing at her a quirked brow.

Unable to think of a contradiction, she came up with a correction and tilted her head with a sheepish smile. "Momentarily."

"Uh huh." He nodded slowly, suggesting he was clearly unfazed by her witty reasoning.

Celica averted her gaze with a small pout. A soldier resting on a bench shouted out his thanks for her prior help and she waved with a smile before turning to her companion. "Well, at least I'm here now," she answered as they exited the square and approached a downward slope.

"After I walked halfway through town searching for you,"

"One of the soldiers were injured, I couldn't just stand by when I knew I was capable of helping."

"It's his own fault for roaming around the outskirts without backup."

"Well...He's okay and healed, I'm back, and we can be on our way, that's all that matters now, right?"

When Bloodedge made no answer she sighed. Although good came of tendency to run off and help, it didn't change the fact that it was her fault Bloodedge had to search for her. Once again.

The brunette maneuvered around until she stood in front of him. "Listen...I'm really sorry."

She looked up to see him wearing a particularly amused expression. Now only did she realize that the mild banter between them had only been a tease. He always _did_ say she was entertaining when defensive. She mentally chided herself for allowing herself to be manipulated so easily. Bloodedge was the only one who could operate her in that way, after all, and she was aware of that with a flattering amount of experience.

He waved her apology off and smiled down at her. "Hey, I have no problem that you went off to help someone." He paused before adding." It's one of the reasons I admire you."

"But, maybe next time you should keep a map handy so you're not completely lost," he suggested, oblivious to the look of surprise that replaced her defensive pout. "Here."

"Hm? When did you get this map?" she asked, pointing to the folded pamphlet held out to her.

"The moment we entered town. I knew you'd find a way to get lost sooner or later," he told her, gently flapping the pamphlet on her shoulder as she blinked in confusion, her mind reeling.

Instead of frowning or pouting like she normally would have, she made no action of accepting the map and instead stared at it in wonder. "You...you got this especially for me?"

"Well, yeah. Didn't I just say so, Celica?" The white-haired man tilted his head to the side to get at a look better at her expression, wondering why she paused so long.

"Bloodedge..." she started. This was her chance. She had already begun speaking and could not turn back on her words now. An unrelenting part of her was insistent on knowing. "Why do you look out for me the way you do?"

That question was certainly sudden and unexpected. Bloodedge furrowed his brows. "What kind of question is that?"

Her steady gaze was uncharacteristic to say the least and he supposed she must have really wanted a serious answer, so he held back on making do with a nonchalant retort. "Because we're travelling together, and it wouldn't be right if I didn't," he said after a moment of thought, his voice genuine.

"So it's because you feel a sense of responsibility towards me...?"

She honestly had no idea what he felt, and he urged himself to remain silent for the time being, lest she did not feel the same. "...I guess," He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, gazing up at the sky. She was silent. "Was that not what you wanted to hear?" he asked carefully.

"No, that's fine. For now, atleast..." The edge of her lips curve upwards in a soft smile when he looked baffled and she continued walking by his side, prompting him to continue on their way.

Bloodedge raised an inquiring eyebrow at her cryptic tone and glanced behind him where she began falling back a few steps, her eyes glued to the floor in concentration and gleaming as she took purposeful steps. He smiled gently before shaking his head lightly and carrying on.

As they walked, the Celica kept her head bowed, deep in thought. Because of her wandering tendency, it was only natural that Bloodedge felt responsible for her, if even slightly.

Responsibility...

She didn't want to be _that_ to him. It was the equivalent to being a burden, in her opinion. Perhaps she did bring more trouble than needed and delayed their trips at times, perhaps during this journey she needed someone to assume the role of "guardian" in a way, but not Bloodedge... No. She would change that. She _could _change that. From now on, she would work hard to turn that responsibility into something else. And maybe...maybe then she would have the strength to confess. The only solution now would be to initiate action. Yes! That was right. And her first start would be her wandering problem!

Narrowing her eyes, she glanced over the map in her hand, scanning the bold print words. There were key words and colour-codes as well to make navigation easier. Bloodedge was so thoughtful... "Oh, I forgot to thank you for the map," she mentioned, turning the folded map over to look at the cover. "So, thank you very much!"

She looked up, finally coming to notice the swordsman's absence."Uh, Bloodedge...?"

Celica looked over her shoulders, swiveling around to look behind her, and then straight ahead again. He was nowhere to be seen. But hadn't he been walking leading the way just a moment ago? She took cautious steps forward, looking at the street winding down on the left and the slope going up ahead and separating to a fork. Which way could he have gone, she wondered, since her surroundings seemed different to her. And then realization struck. She had forgotten to ask him where they were headed to in the first place!

Panic increasing and hopes plummeting with an almost mocking crash, she sank to the ground in the middle of the walkway and slapped the now-useless map to her forehead with a hopeless cry. "I did it again!"

~ x x x ~

Just to mention, I won't be taking requests regularly unless I can work with an idea. So...until the next chapter~! And happy holidays! ;D


	9. Clover

Pairing requested by Youmomagon a long long time ago. Thanks for being so patient with me ^^' This occurs through the course of Carl's time at the Academy. I tried combining the four elements of the lucky clover, but I hope in doing so I didn't write anyone ooc. ; u ;  
Drabbles are actually supposed to have a word limit of 100 or less, but oh well. I've been doing my own thing since the start anyway (sobs) Dx

Um, yeah. Enjoy~ C:

* * *

**Drabble #9  
Theme: Clover  
Pairing: Carl x Makoto**

~ x x x ~

Unlike the rest yet at remarkably beautiful, a lucky charm. He twirled the thin stem between his fingers, spinning the four-leaved clover, his mind deep in thought. The clover felt as fragile as he did the first day of his arrival at the Academy. But all has changed since he met her.

"I won't be able to makeit without you, Sis…" he muttered to himself on that day, keeping his head low.  
And then he met her. Makoto, carefree and friendly welcomed with an easygoing smile and an eager readiness for companionship. "Your last name is Clover? Haha, like the lucky charm." And then, catching him off guard, she overwhelmed him with a tight hug from behind, throwing him off balance while he squirmed with embarrassment. Even if minuscule, at that moment, he felt a spark of faith. He could make it.

She was so easy to talk to and before he knew it he found himself confiding in her everything that troubled his mind. "So...what you're saying is, the reason the other students are acting strange to you is because you're so young?" She appeared upset; watching the blonde with concern as he averted his gave after a hesitant nod.

She did not care for his age; she liked him for who he was. "Never mind them, Carl. They just need some getting used to; you are still new after all. But you're always free to hang out with me, Tsubaki and Noel!"

"That's- that's not really necessary, Makoto. I'm all right." But she could not be fooled. She was a lot more attentive than she let on.

"Come on, Carl!" And with that, she grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to the classroom where her friends were completing afterschool duties. In the loneliness, she brought hope, and he found himself unable to decline.

"You're the smartest person I know," she continued shyly, rubbing her hand at the back of her head, embarrassed that she had to relay the story of Tsubaki's refusal to help her study. She was supposed to learn her lesson for cramming before examinations, but instead came to Carl for help. "So what do you say, are you gonna help me study?" And he agreed all too eagerly, an eagerness he didn't know until much later was called love.

On the day of the results he saw the cheerful beastkin smiling broadly, a report card in hand. The long nights of studying, fooling around with paper airplanes and even more studying had paid off!  
"I knew it Carl. I knew you were my lucky charm!" she told him enthusiastically, a warm look in her eyes.  
"It- it was all you, Makoto. I only helped a little…" He meant to say more but was only capable of a small embarrassed smile, feeling his expression reddening considerably when she took his hand in hers and squeezed tightly to express her appreciation.

That was then, when he had no intent of sharing his feelings. And now finally, finally he had the courage to let her know. He didn't know if this sudden willingness had to do with finding the four-leaved plant in the grass beneath the bench he and Makoto always met when exchanging notes- but it was enough to fill him with courage, if even for a short moment.

Staring earnestly at the message he had written, he stood up with newfound confidence, closing his eyes and taking a breath for good measure as he twirled the light green clover between his fingers. Slipping the note in the envelope, he placed it on her desk, setting the delicate clover on top. Carl turned around in high and anxious spirits and walked through the hallway with a thrill in his step.

_You taught me to have faith in myself when I started to doubt, you gave me hope, and now I confess my love. Unlike the rest yet remarkably beautiful...Makoto, you are my lucky charm._

~ x x x~


	10. Elevator

Oh my word guys, longest drabble in the series so far~ =v=

I actually wrote two different drabbles for JiNoel...I'll update the other drabble first thing tomorrow and you guys can judge which is better. xD

This was requested by Miwasaki Yuki! Enjoy! (:

* * *

**Drabble #10  
Theme: Elevator  
Pairing: Jin x Noel**

~ x x x ~

They say it's usually the moment you go in out of your way to avoid somebody when you find yourself in a situation with no one other than that specific someone. Well, it proved to be true and Noel discovered it with a startled expression, anxiety hitting high when the heavy doors of the elevator slid open to reveal one occupant in the confined space...

Jin.

When the elevator's steady speed upwards slowly decreased, indicating that someone had pressed a button on some floor and he would soon not be alone Jin was not sure why he was surprised to see Miss Vermillion, blonde with bright green eyes, standing on the other side as the doors opened. Perhaps it was because recently he hadn't seen much of her and every time Makoto or Tsubaki had roped him in on something the blonde had been absent.

As discreet as she wished to keep it, she had been avoiding him, and he had come to notice it.

"Which floor are you heading to?" he asked her, finding himself holding his hand to stop the doors from closing automatically. She seemed startled by the gesture. On another level, Jin was surprised he was doing this himself.

He couldn't recall what he had done for her to be so uncomfortable around him, apart from his occasional impatient retorts, but those were so to say normal to everyone.

"U-um, I'm going down, no- I mean up. To the top floor," she said nervously, coming to stand beside him, her unfocused eyes averting his.

He quirked an eyebrow, only making her fumbling condition worse. Saying nothing else, he leaned over to press the button, all while her face heated up privately at the close proximity.

The elevator started up and a discomfited silence settled in. Noel began wondering if she should've taken the stairs...

"So...Miss Vermillion. I've noticed your uneasiness lately, Tsubaki and Makoto were just talking to me about you yesterday, they noticed it too. Is something the matter?" Jin couldn't help but ask, regardless of his decision not to. The idea of Noel avoiding him seemed to bother him and he found it impossible to resist the compulsion to ask for an explanation.

"Wha...?" She blinked, startled, as she tugged her sleeve slightly. "Uneasiness? I'm not uneasy...what gives you guys that idea?"

"Well, more than usual," he said, pointing at her as she twirled the material of her sleeve almost above her elbow. She stopped her fidgeting immediately upon his observation. "Are you okay?"

He was polite, as usual, with a slight air of indifference and an expression inscrutable as ever. His green eyes rendered Noel speechless. If it hadn't been for the Academy girls fawning over Jin's eyes, Noel wouldn't have known that they were indeed very deep and enchanting...

Oh, what was she thinking!

Shaking her thoughts out of her head, she decided to answer, trying to imitate his indifference, and failing at that. "I'm fine...I don't know why Tsubaki and Makoto were worried. I'm sorry that you had to ask!"

She didn't know why she was apologizing, it was a habit, one that both amused and annoyed many, including Jin.

But this time Jin wasn't even fazed by it, he seemed to be watching her intently. "As Student Council President it _is_ my duty to ask and if you're having any trouble with classes, so you should speak up."

Noel was quiet, staring at the floor. At this point, normally Jin would find himself nearing the point where he would lose his patience. She certainly didn't seem willing to explain. Though he only sighed wearily, shaking it off. "Well, I suppose it was just our imaginations then."

Noel blinked, realizing he'd been waiting for her to at least respond. She flustered inwardly, certain that her face was beet red right then. What on Earth was she doing letting her hormones get the best of her!?

"W-well, you see!" Just then the elevator came to another standstill. She looked up. "Hm? ...It's stopping?"

"We haven't reached the floor..." Jin said, glancing at the lever above the doors which showed which floor they were on.

The sound of moving gears slowed down and soon the elevator stalled completely.

A few moments of silence passed as they waited in agitation and mild annoyance for the elevator to continue, but it was stuck and the minutes continued to drag by. Jin recalled that the Academy was performing maintenance today, but usually they'd have put an out of service notice on the elevators they were working on. Apparently someone was forgetful this time, leaving the two students in this particular situation.

Although the situation was not the best and although it was uncharacteristic to say the least to even consider such a thing, Noel, overcome with nerves and indecisiveness, decided that now was as good a time as any to get it out of the way- the one thing that had been plaguing her mind each time she's seen him. And even though this wasn't the place, which was a huge understatement, she decided that it might as well be the time.

"As I was saying..."

"You weren't saying anything remember."

"Er, well," she paused. "What I was _about_ to say is...that you're right."

He crossed his arms, tilting his head slightly, "Of course. They're running maintenance on the elevators today, since they started this morning it should be over soon."

"No, no. Not about the elevator. Well, yes, you're probably right about that too but that's not what I'm talking about. Makoto and Tsubaki weren't imagining anything...you neither. I- I _have_ been a little tense lately, but it doesn't have anything to do with class...It's because of you."

This gauged his interest and Jin raised a curious brow, regarding her from askance.

"...I guess I've always felt this, but I didn't realize it until we started spending more time together. It isn't like me to say this out loud, but for some reason today...and right now...well...well, what I mean to say is-" She smiled, embarrassed. "I really like you Jin!"

Noel didn't know what compelled her to yell that...it must've been a fresh burst of confidence because he actually asked about her, or...it was her nerves going haywire. She was pretty sure it was the latter, but either way, she was relieved to have gotten that out...even though he wasn't doing much to react apart from staring at her as she braced herself for an answer.

Jin acknowledged that it must have taken a lot of courage for this particular blonde to full out say something like that, and he had to commend her on actually having a backbone to go through with it, though he battled to remain silent. He did not want to say anything he might regret later on.

The blonde-haired girl averted her gaze, her uneasiness now tenfold since all Jin was doing now was simply observing her with his calculating gaze, his expression inscrutable, albeit slightly taken aback. Fretting to herself she clamped her lips, clearly regretting her confession.

She said nothing further and neither did Jin.

For Noel it seemed like a miracle that the elevator whirred at that very moment and continued upwards. Though now it felt different standing there beside him, a mutual feeling of awkwardness shared between both students at loss for the right words.

The bell dinged, the light flickered and the heavy doors opened. The floor had been reached.

Noel took a brisk step forward, hoping to get out without having to say anything to him since her face was still as red as can be. "Noel, wait." No sooner had she heard his voice call her name, did his firm grip around her wrist stop her, yanking her back into the elevator.

Noel swiveled around, stumbling over her feet and sending Jin staggering back with the force. Gripping his arms to keep balance, she quickly snapped her head up to see his reaction. Before she could even begin apologizing relentlessly, Noel was beyond surprise when the young man's lips cracked into a grin.

He shook his head with a short laugh, his head bowed and his golden bangs concealing his eyes. "Well that didn't go as planned..." he murmured, looking up at her, his face barely inches away from hers.

"...As planned? Wh-what do you mean by that?"

"I was planning to answer you..." he said, the tenor of his voice cool and calm as ever. She furrowed her brows, puzzled. "With this..." The expression in his eyes softened and he leaned in, his lips gently touching hers.

The bell dinged, the doors closing behind them as the elevator continued on its way with two blonde occupants, one bright red in the face and unable to form a coherent thought and the other with a faint blush, unable to comprehend why he hadn't been the one to tell her first.

~ x x x ~


	11. Muse

It seems a bit unfair that I've got two drabbles for one pairing. But...here it is~ ^u^/

* * *

**Drabble #11  
Pairing: Noel X Jin  
****Theme: Muse**

~ x x x ~

Expressing herself on paper was never a problem; it was a task she found much ease and fluency in. While she could not function well in words- and embarrassed herself quite often because of her social awkwardness- Noel could express herself confidently equipped with only a pen and a piece of paper.

But now...she was unsure.

Sitting with a chair pulled up to the wooden desk in her room, Noel scribbled across a paper blotched by fresh ink. She sat back, her eyes scanning her work. With a frown she crumpled it up added it to the growing pile in the waste bin- evidence of her numerous attempts.

"Why is this so hard...?" Resting her cheek in her hand, she tilted her head to the side as she leaned her weight on her elbow and stared at the next blank page. She pressed the top of the pen to her bottom lip, thinking, thinking...

There came a knock on the door and she snapped out of her daze. She glanced down at her written work- still forming in a slow, hopeless pace. She placed her pen down and pushed the chair back as she stood up. The door creaked faintly as she opened to see who it was, and she had to blink to make sure she wasn't imagining what she saw.

A blonde young man, taller than she was, stood there in his uniform with his glasses held in his hand. "Tsubaki said you needed help with something," he explained. His blasé gaze shifted to the desk behind where the half-written manuscript rested on. "...A novel you're working on?"

This was strange for Noel as she wasn't expecting someone right then, least of all Jin Kisaragi! Stunned into silence that he came all the way to her dorm, Noel didn't want to be an inconvenience to him; after all he was a busy person. "It's okay...I-I can manage."

The minute she had said that, an idea suddenly hit her.

A muse was a source of inspiration that motivated writers in their work. It could be a person, an object, anything that inspired one actually! She had read that even the greatest masters of literature turned to their muse when they reached a laborious point in their writing, a stalemate. They would think long and hard and with that reflecting, they'd link their emotions and thoughts to form a masterpiece of creative work. And that was exactly what she needed to do!

As the blonde-haired student turned to leave, Noel quickly stopped him, grabbing his arm. "Ah, wait! Actually, could you sit over here for a moment? It would really help."

Looking over his shoulder, Jin quirked an eyebrow, skeptical, but the girl had already led him to the armchair in the corner of the room, gently motioning for him to sit down. With an unheard sigh, he sat without protest and watched as she seated herself at her desk, hunching over the manuscript.

This time it came easier, she was slowly settling into a comfortable zone as her thoughts drifted to a particular person, someone she saw as an important figure in her life. Someone who watched her feeling perplexed, mildly annoyed, yet at the same time curious to see what she was up to.

She glanced at Jin briefly, grinning uncertainly when he caught her at it, raising his brows. His green eyes...they were as jaded as ever, yet she once caught a glimpse of gentleness in them, even though it was skillfully obscured from all. He was laden with great expectations yet he did not let the pressure get to him. Even now he was keeping up the stature. He was quiet, stoic, but all the same, his presence was kept with an air of poise and certainty. He knew what he wanted in his future, unlike her. But that's what made her look up to him all the more...

Thinking about it now...Noel realized that her main character was in fact a fictional embodiment of Jin. She blushed privately at how influential he was, focusing her attention on her writing. Description came a lot easier now. The words flowed onto the paper with little effort, soon filling the next page and the next page and the next and the next.

"And how is sitting here helping exactly?" Jin finally asked with a sigh, breaking the silence.

"In a way you wouldn't know," she answered vaguely with a lighthearted smile, without averting her gaze from her manuscript.

Jin stared in confusion then shook his head. It didn't take a genius to know that Noel was an odd one, he'd known that all along the few times they've spent together. He was better off not knowing what she meant by that, he thought to himself, relaxing in his seat a little.

Noel smiled softly, glancing up at him as he reached for a nearby book. Although aloof and indifferent, she had made a new discovery from this situation. Jin, whether he liked it or not, was her muse. And she quite enjoyed his presence.

"Hm? What's this..." he murmured, regarding a pink notebook. "Adventures in Love by Noel Vermillion?"

The blonde girl's eyes widened. "Aaah!" She jumped out of her seat, reaching out uselessly, "Wait don't read that, Jin! Jiiiiinnn!"

~ x x x ~


End file.
